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Qld's reef islands braced for cyclone

Tourists on Queensland's popular Whitsunday islands on the Great Barrier Reef were preparing for the worst on Saturday night as tropical cyclone Hamish crept south.

Two of the north Queensland islands, South Molle and Long, were evacuated on Saturday, but most visitors were choosing to stay on other islands with cyclone-proof resorts, such as Hamilton.

At 8pm (AEST) cyclone Hamish - which at category four is the same intensity as Larry which devastated the region in March 2006 - was 205km north of Hayman Island and 225km northeast of Ayr, moving southeast at 17km/h.

The weather bureau said the Whitsundays were expected to be hit with "very destructive" winds of around 160km/h early on Sunday morning, with the coastal communities of Ayr and St Lawrence due to face slightly lesser but still destructive winds.

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Whitsundays Disaster Management Group coordinator Senior Sergeant Steve O'Connell said preparations were well under way on the coast.

"We've done as much preparation as we can in the event the cyclone does come towards us," he said.

"The critical part will be the next 12 to 15 hours."

Mayor of Whitsunday Regional Council, Mike Brunker, said despite strong winds already being felt in area, there were no reports of damage.

There was no sign of panic either, he said.

"It's not like a fire where you can see people out there fighting it," he told AAP.

"In cyclones you just batten down the hatches and you basically come out when it is over.

"There is nothing you can do when its blowing. Everybody goes to ground. No-one can be out there in 100km/h winds.

"Once it is gone, that is when you come out and look at the damage."

Damaging wind gusts are expected to affect communities between Townsville and Yeppoon on Sunday.

Areas around Mackay have been deluged with 180mm of rain since 9am on Saturday, with some suburbs evacuated due to flooding and authorities warning of road closures.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh said Hamish could bring devastation similar to that of Cyclone Larry, a category five cyclone which wreaked havoc on Innisfail in 2006, if it crossed the coast.

"On current predictions it does appear that if this crosses the coast, it could be the worst that we have seen since Cyclone Larry," she told reporters at an emergency briefing in Brisbane on Saturday.

"... It is already clear that if it does cross the coast at any point, it is a serious cyclone that will cause extensive damage."

She said she had declared a disaster situation in the area to allow authorities to enforce evacuations in towns from Townsville to Maryborough, should that be necessary.

Emergency Management Queensland deputy director Bruce Grady said the cyclone was being tracked to Hervey Bay but could break up or turn into the coast before it reached that far south.

Weather bureau spokesman Bruce Gunn said it could cause significant flooding if the cyclone hit at high tide.

"A severe tropical cyclone is almost as bad as it gets," he said.

Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts said authorities were preparing for whatever was to come.

"We want to ensure all people in the region are as safe as possible," he said.

Residents have been asked to prepare emergency kits and stay tuned to radio bulletins in case evacuations are ordered.